Autoimmune Encephalitis: The Rheumatologist’s Perspective

Abstract Background: Acute encephalitis is a condition where the brain is inflamed, and it has a wide range of potential causes. Even though autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a rare disease, the incidence is increasing over the years. This may reflect rising awareness and improvement in diagnostic advances. In fact, AE has been reported as a presenting, predominant, or new feature in multiple rheumatological diseases. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the existing evidence on AE as a predominant feature in rheumatologic conditions. Moreover, the rheumatologists should be aware of the potential neurological manifestations that their patients may exhibit. Therefore, this will help to prevent delayed diagnosis and ensure proper management. Materials and Methods: A thorough literature review (a secondary qualitative method) was conducted to meet the objective of the research, using available databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Embase), and relevant keywords, such as “autoimmune encephalitis” and “rheumatological diseases,” which were gathered from publications that range from 2010 to 2025. Results: The findings highlighted that the central nervous system can be affected in most of the rheumatological diseases and provided new insight that AE broadens the spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Other than this, AE frequently coexists with conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s syndrome. Conclusion: Timely recognition and increasing awareness of AE among rheumatologists. However, our understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders and our ability to improve patient outcomes can be enhanced through future research and interdisciplinary collaboration.